11:00 AM CST
For Immediate Release (Winnipeg, Treaty One):
New analysis released this morning by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba finds that 171,072 workers in Manitoba earn less than a living wage, or 1 in 4 workers in the province in 2023 (24.6%). These workers earned less than $19.21 per hour in 2023, the wage required for a family to meet their basic needs and not live in poverty.
Key findings from the analysis are:
- Workers earning less than a living wage are disproportionately women (57.8%) and are more likely to be recent immigrants to Canada (16.1%).
- A majority of workers earning less than a living wage are in the prime of their working years (aged 25-54) (43.9%) and hold some form of post-secondary education (61.3%).
- 36.4% of workers earning less than a living wage have a child at home who is below 18 years of age. This figure is almost identical to the share of workers earning more than the living wage with a child below 18 at home (37.4%).
- Workers earning less than a living wage were more likely to work part-time, with 21.3% of prime working age (25-54) workers taking part time hours. Of workers aged 25-54, a majority cited caregiving responsibilities and or a lack of part-time hours as the primary reason for working full time, again underscoring the need for investments in childcare and other parts of the care sector.
- Most workers earning less than a living wage work at firms with 100 or more employees, the largest business classification within the Labour Force Survey.
- Only 17.6% of workers earning less than a living wage were union members or covered by a collective agreement, indicating the limited bargaining power many low-wage workers have to secure wage increases.
By raising the minimum wage to a living wage, the Government of Manitoba would provide significant economic relief to 1 in 4 workers in Manitoba, while also reducing the gender pay gap, promoting equity for newcomers, and reducing rates of child poverty. “Many workers in Manitoba are struggling to get ahead of bills. Manitobans working in low-wage jobs need a raise and implementing a living wage is a simple way to achieve it.” says Niall Harney, Senior Researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba.
The findings within this report were produced through analysis of the Statistics Canada Labour Force Surveys from Jan-Dec 2023. For full details on findings and methodology read the full report here.
About
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, charitable research institute. All research is peer reviewed. The CCPA Manitoba updates the living wage calculation in Manitoba annually. The last update was in 2023.
Media contact:
Niall Harney, Errol Black Chair in Labour Issues, CCPA-MB
204-510-7934
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